FPA Sri Lanka commemorated “Founders Day” on the 15^th of January 2016. Our Executive Director, Ms Thushara Ranasinghe Agus made the following statement on the day, which was the dawn of our 65^th year in existence.

“Early 1950’s saw a movement sweeping across the globe on a mission to improve the plight of women all over the world. The mission was to advocate family planning to enable couples to have children by choice. Multiple pregnancies in short spaces of time, high maternal and infant mortality, poor maternal health were the order of the day and the word “Choice” for a woman was almost a dream status.

 In this backdrop, women activists in 8 countries congregated to form International Planned Parenthood Federation in Mumbai, India in 1952. Similar winds of change were experienced in Sri Lanka too and that paved the way for the birth ofFamily Planning Association of Sri Lanka in 1953. The founders were all volunteers, who despite their regular professions, gave time and expertise to the cause generously.

The result was a dynamic Association that went from strength to strength in the ensuing decades.  Today FPA Sri Lanka is a mature organization with over 130 full-time employees, working to realize Sexual and Reproductive Health as a right to all Sri Lankans! We have come a long way, thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of our founders and forefathers.

Today as we commemorate “Founders Day”, we will strive to recognize the value of volunteers of our Association. FPA Sri Lanka was, is and will remain a voluntary organization and the volunteers form the backbone of the organization. I request all of you to support and join this drive, in order to ensure the Health of future generations and the wellbeing of our planet”